Story
by SnowKiter
Summary: It's Red's story, but sometimes he needs a little nudge from his less-known counterpart to get a move on. Game Universe.


So I was bored and played around with both SoulSilver and original Silver for a while, after restarting and finishing FireRed. My thoughts afterwards was: Red, you need to pick up with your life and get off the stupid mountain. And I swore I could hear Leaf agreeing, "Oh absolutely. See, I became the champion too and you don't see me sulking on top of mountain tops with a team of obnoxiously powerful Pokemon."

So yeah. I wrote about it because a great sense of nostalgia swept up upon me and I was bored. By the way I gave up on putting the little symbol/accent thingy in "Pokemon" because it was really annoying and blagh.

* * *

_**Story**_

After his first defeat at the hands of a kid not much older, if not younger than he was, Red was without a purpose. He had achieved everything—defeated Team Rocket, defeated his rival and the Elite Four, taken the coveted mantle of the League Champion. What was there to be done after having achieved in under a year, what many adults could only dream of in a lifetime?

Initially, Red was unable to think of anything, except continuing his original quest to fill the PokeDex for Professor Oak. But in time, that journey too, was finished. He was left without direction, all of his accomplishments seeming to mean nothing because in the end there was nothing more to strive for. And so lost within himself, with only his Pokemon, Red climbed the peak of the unexplored Mount Silver and made his home there.

It was a lonely and harsh place, frigid and merciless cold breeding powerful and often hostile wild Pokemon. There, Red trained his team with a kind of mindless fervor that held none of the purposeful eagerness of going through the same routine for the Elite Four. He no longer knew why he was training so hard, why he pushed himself and his partners to the brink of frostbitten death every day. At the top, there was no one left to fight, no one left to look up to. But he had to do something. Red was born gifted—from Day One he had a certain spark, a certain aura, that whatever Pokemon entered his care grew strong. A child genius, they called him. He was a legend, a figure of bedtime stories for young, to-be trainers.

That was what he was, nothing more. Master Pokemon Trainer. So what did Master Pokemon Trainers do?

They trained.

So they did. Barely resting, hanging on to a thin existence that they could not quite grasp anymore, and trying to get stronger with almost a sense of desperation.

And then the kid arrived. A young boy presumably from Johto, wearing a black and gold cap turned casually backwards—in quite a contrast to the rather stiff way Red wore his hat, pulled down so that its rim shadowed his steely eyes. The boy's grey eyes were sparkling with shock and then joy upon seeing the silent figure of Red upon the peak of Mount Silver. (Red had vaguely wondered if his eyes looked like that when he had first started his journey.)

They locked eyes.

Both knew what that meant without needing words. Red had sent out his most trusted partner, Pikachu, expecting the commanding Electric-type to easily sweep his opponent's team all by itself. But that was not to be. One Earthquake by a Meganium, and his most powerful Pokemon was down. It went like that for the entire battle. Red would seem to gain the upper hand, but his foe would pull out another Pokemon of the region of Johto, to counter.

Red didn't know what to say when he lost. So he said nothing. A kind of chilling numbness had settled down on his spine, a cold that had nothing to do with Mount Silver's freezing winds. After silently handing over the prize money, he turned stiffly away from the boy who was celebrating behind him, and then without a second thought, leapt off the peak of the mountain.

Red heard his opponent give a shout of alarm. Almost nonchalantly, the newly-defeated Champion released his Charizard from its Pokeball, landing silently on the orange dragon's back. The Fire-type seemed to be semiconscious but it unfurled its wings and with a couple of strong wingbeats, carried its Trainer to safety in a slightly curved, drunken manner.

He watched from a hidden cliff as the victor of their battle wandered Mount Silver for over an hour, seeming to be searching for him. But in the end, the boy gave up and descended the harsh terrain.

Red was alone now. He felt slightly dizzy, almost nauseous, and he wondered if he would white out right there and find himself in a Pokemon Center, just like the old days. After a moment, though, his vision cleared and he was still sitting in a cold cave, his knees drawn to his chest.

What was his purpose now? All of his training had still resulted in a loss. Red wondered if he was expected to feel relief—he had been beaten and that proved he was human. That he still had much to learn and now he could finally go home.

Strangely, the thought held even more emptiness than what he had carried before the battle. Mechanically, Red reached into his bag and pulled out his grand stock of medicine, bottle by bottle. After administering Max Revives and Elixers to each of his Pokemon, Red sat back once more.

What was his purpose now?

Soft footsteps caught his attention and Red whipped his head up, wondering if it was the boy who had defeated him—how on earth was he found so quickly?

But it was not. Instead, a slender girl emerged into view. A messenger bag hung across her shoulder. One of her hands was on the rim of her white hat, pressing it down to prevent it from being blown away by the cold wind.

Red's eyes widened as he blinked a couple of times to make sure he wasn't imagining things.

_Leaf?_

Leaf smiled at him, inclining her head in a thoughtful greeting. She was shivering slightly in the light clothing she wore.

_Why on earth would you live in a place like this? _Her bright eyes seemed to say as she stepped next to him.

Slowly, Red got up. _Why are you here?_

Leaf shrugged at his unspoken question. She walked right past him, going deeper into the cave for warmth. Her boots left traces of snow and ice on the cave floor. Red stared at those marks with mild curiosity.

Because Leaf wasn't real.

She was a mirage. But at the same time, she had had always been there.

She was the daughter of his mother, his sister and counterpart, and his rival's rival, but it was all a half-remembered illusion that existed but also didn't. Leaf was also the Champion of Kanto. She had defeated Team Rocket in the same way, at the same time. Everyone knew that Leaf was there, but they never mentioned her, never acknowledged her. Like she was a ghost, a memory that was forgotten as soon as it was gained.

It was a paradox really, but Red had never questioned it. Leaf existed,—he saw her sometimes—but not in the same plane of existence as everyone else. She had never complained about it either. Red had once asked and her only reply, with a mysterious and knowing smile, was, _It's not my story, Red. It's yours._

Leaf walked until she hit the farthest wall of the small cave. Then she turned around and held out a Pokeball. Her calm eyes caught his with an intensity that Red saw in few others. Understanding immediately, without hesitation, Red sent out Pikachu for the second time of the day.

The Electric mouse was refreshed and eager for redemption from the last battle. Small sparks blazed along its red cheeks. Leaf tossed the Pokeball and a Jigglypuff emerged. Red wondered why she had chosen not to evolve it and then looked at his own Pikachu and decided not to think about it.

It was a silent battle, with only the clashing Pokemon's cries echoing through the cave and swept up by the winds. With a subtle gesture from its Trainer, Pikachu charged forward in a Volt Tackle. Jigglypuff answered with a Double Edge. The attacks hit simultaneously, sending both small Pokemon sprawling from attack and recoil damage. Thunderbolt. Hyper Voice. The cave shook with the force of the attacks. Iron Tail and Quick Attack was cut off by Jigglypuff's Body Slam and Mimic. Red's Pikachu outsped Jigglypuff but it was not able to endure as many hits. In the end, Pikachu went down for the second time of the day.

After carrying his partner to a corner for rest, Red sent out Blastoise to finish off the severely weakened Jigglypuff. However, Leaf switched out, bringing out a Meganium. This Meganium looked quite similar to the one Red's earlier opponent had used to KO Pikachu. He wondered why Leaf had not chosen it for her lead—she would know that he always lead with Pikachu.

The Meganium went for Leaf Storm. Blastoise took the Super Effective attack but it did not go down. It retaliated with a Blizzard which Meganium bore with a similar grim endurance. However, Leaf had it use Leech Seed next. Red was not going to stand for that. He switched into Charizard. Leaf brought out a Swampert which Red regarded with puzzled suspicion. He was not aware that his counterpart had visited Hoenn. That was not the end of the surprises though. Leaf also had an Infernape which finished off his Lapras with a Close Combat.

She had a smile on her face, like she was really enjoying the battle. Red regarded her with a curious sort of grimness, sharp eyes taking in all of her Pokemon's moves, trying to exploit their weakness, all the while wondering how she was so skilled.

Leaf switched her exhausted Infernape for Jigglypuff right as Red's Blastoise launched out a Hydro Cannon. The already wounded pink Pokemon was thrown across the cave with the force of the attack it took, rolling in a faint. Leaf's eyes were apologetic as she recalled the Normal-type she had thrown in to be defeated. Before either Red or Blastoise could react though, Infernape was back in the battle, knocking the armored turtle out with a vengeful Stone Edge.

Leaf switched out much more often than anyone else that Red had ever faced, moving in battle with a kind of outwardly grace that rather frightened him. The look in her eyes was cheerful but calculating, her level of skill far exceeding their shared rival Blue. It was like she could predict his every move, like she knew things he could never grasp.

After several more relentless rounds, Red was left with only Snorlax and Venasaur, with the latter locked in battle with Leaf's Vaporeon. Despite taking an Ice Beam to the face, Venasaur managed to defeat Vaporeon with a well-aimed Sleep Powder and Giga Drain combination. However, Leaf's last Pokemon far outpaced his bulky Grass-type. The creature took out his Venasaur with a lightning-fast move that Red's eyes could barely follow let alone identify.

Red slowly and hesitantly recalled his fallen Pokemon, eyeing the unfamiliar foe with bewilderment. What was it? The dinosaur-like creature regarded him in the same manner. It balanced lithely on two legs, golden plates curved over its frame like armor. Its claws were red and its legs and underbelly jet black. What looked like an axe formed the sides of its mouth, the curved blades glinting below a pair of intelligent crimson eyes.

Red knew all of his Pokemon, even those in other regions—he hadn't needed to use his PokeDex in years. But now the boy pulled it out of his backpack. The device beeped slightly as it was aimed at the dinosaur, sounding a bit rusty from disuse. Strangely though, the screen read: "No data found".

This Pokemon did not exist in his National PokeDex.

Leaf grinned and held up her own Pokedex. And it warbled in that familiar mechanical and friendly voice. The sound seemed to roar loudly in the otherwise silence of the cave.

"Haxorus, the Axe Jaw Pokemon. Their sturdy tusks will stay sharp even if used to cut steel beams. These Pokémon are covered in hard armor."

Red stared at the entry on the screen, looking down and found its location to be in an area he absolutely did not recognize. He fixed Leaf with a stare, demanding an answer. She shrugged blithely, and made a vague gesture to the side.

Red glanced back down coolly, his eyes measuring his foe's typing and stats with cold calculation. As Leaf tucked her PokeDex away, Red then sent out Snorlax, hoping that a single Blizzard would immediately defeat the Dragon Type. But again, Haxorus was faster, seemingly causing the very mountain to shake with the force of a Dragon Claw. Snorlax was slammed into the far cave all by the force of the attack. The giant Pokemon rose laboriously, summoning the Blizzard that Red commanded from it.

But it missed.

Bitter irony left a harsh tang in Red's mouth as he watched his last Pokemon fall from a second STABBED Dragon Claw. It was over. He had lost not once, but twice in a single day. Against someone half-imaginary for all he knew.

Leaf recalled her unscathed Haxorus and walked over, an ever pleasant smile on her face.

_You should get off this dreary mountain_, She seemed to be saying. _There are other regions to explore, many more adventures to be had. This isn't your last loss. Accept it and move on. After all, your story isn't over._

Leaf walked right out of the cave then, with only a jaunty wave as a farewell. Red stared after her wildly and chased after outside. But there was no trace of her on the freezing cliff. Not even footsteps in the snow.

* * *

Red left Mount Silver that day. He sent a brief letter to his mother in Pallet Town, and moved on immediately to the region of Hoenn. Challenging the Johto league now was too conspicuous. His name was known too widely there. In Hoenn, however, Red could begin anew, with a clean slate. Afterwards, his aim was Sinnoh, and then _that _region—Unova. It had not taken Red long to uncover the name of the area that held powerful creatures like Haxorus.

Leaf was right, wherever she was now. His story was long from being over.

* * *

Yeah that was a really corny and terrible ending. It was rather rushed too.

Well, I had to throw a little Gen Five into it, if Leaf had Gen Four stuff. I'm afraid the Gen Five Pokemon just don't appeal to me as much as Gen Four and down. They're just so...ugly in design. =.=

They have absurd stats though.

A Jigglypuff probably couldn't have beaten Red's Pikachu because it's holding a Light Ball and all, but whatever. Let's say it was Life Orb'd or something. XD

STAB stands for Same Type Attack Bonus which is a 50% base power boost to the move of a Pokemon who is the same type as that move, if you wanted to/ didn't know.

I think that's about it. Hm.


End file.
